


A Night To Remember

by moonlit_disaster



Category: Monster High
Genre: F/M, Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-23
Updated: 2018-10-30
Packaged: 2019-03-08 09:52:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 16
Words: 14,201
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13455762
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/moonlit_disaster/pseuds/moonlit_disaster
Summary: Senior Prom: it's an important milestone for monsters and humans alike. With less than a month left before graduation, Frankie and the ghouls have a night full of dancing, memory-making, and unforeseen drama ahead of them.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is probably an overdone concept, but I really wanted to write this!~

A unique, indescribable excitement hung in the air. It was the kind of feeling that only came around when an important event was near, such as a big game or school dance. In this case, it wasn’t just any dance--it was the prom.

And for Frankie Stein, it was her final prom. She’d been sparking with anticipation for her senior year, but now that it was rapidly nearing an end, she wished time would slow down for a bit. Even so, she managed to keep herself distracted with her studies and her ghoulfriends. She was also on the prom committee, but wasn’t the president, as opposed to the year before; this year, it was Cleo DeNile’s responsibility.

Even with the smaller tasks, she still had her hands full. Her mind was constantly abuzz with things she had yet to complete, which had led to her being a little more distracted and spacey than usual.

“Hellooo! Earth to Frankie!” Draculaura waved her hand back and forth in front of her friend’s blank gaze as she stood before her open locker.

“What? Oh, sorry, what did you say?” Frankie asked, snapping out of it and looking down at Draculaura’s fanged smile.

“I was confirming the plans for next Saturday night with you,” she explained in her high-pitched, chipper voice. “You know, prom night?”

“Oh, yeah,” Frankie grinned sheepishly, “Er...what were they, again?”

“You, me, Clawdeen, Cleo, Ghoulia, Abbey, and Lagoona are coming over to my place to get ready at three,” Draculaura relayed, “then at 6 we’ll meet up with our dates and go to Outback Stakehouse for dinner.”

“Oh, but I don’t have a date.”

“That’s okay,” Draculaura replied with a wave of her hand. “Neither does Clawdeen, Ghoulia, or Lagoona.”

Frankie shot her friend a quick smile before slamming her locker shut and heading to her last class of the day, Ge-ogre-phy. It was an easy class that was at times boring, but it being final period on a Friday, it was noisier and less organized than usual.

She took a seat in her usual spot after entering the dimly lit classroom, right next to her friend, Jackson Jekyll. They often chatted in class via passing notes back and forth in a notebook, so as to not get in trouble with the teacher. Today was no different.

Once class got underway, Frankie happened to take notice of how Jackson scribbled away on the lined paper with more urgency than usual.

When he pushed the note her way, she leaned over and read what he’d written.

_Can I talk to you alone after class?_

Frankie was, to say the least, a tad bit surprised at this. She and Jackson usually kept up light-hearted banter, but this seemed strangely serious. She glanced at Jackson for a clue, but he avoided making eye contact as he nervously tapped his pencil on the desk.

Frankie picked up her pen and wrote,

_Sure, is something the matter?_

Jackson gazed at her handwritten sentence for a second or two before scrawling,

_No, don’t worry. I just wanted to talk about something important._

Frankie shrugged nonchalantly and turned her attention to the lesson. Their note-exchanging paper was strangely blank for the rest of class.

~ ~ ~

The final bell on Friday marked two days of freedom for most students, but not for Cleo DeNile. As soon as class ended, the prom committee meeting was only beginning. And, with prom only a week away, she had her hands full.

They were way behind schedule. The extensive decorations she’d planned for the Undead Elegance theme weren’t even close to being complete, and she didn’t have hardly enough members on the committee to do all that needed to be done. She was a natural born leader, but this was proving to be a handful, even for her. Still, she pressed on, more determined than ever to make this year’s prom the best Monster High had ever seen.

With the prom planning eating up a lot of her time, she’d hardly had the chance to make preparations of her own. She had custom-ordered her dress months ago, but it still hadn’t arrived. She was anxious to make sure she and Deuce were color-coordinated, but in all the chaos of prom committee, she’d hardly had the chance to even see him, save between classes. Between her studies and prom committee and his intensive studying for finals, they were lucky to even have that.

She was more joyful than Deuce was anticipating when he unexpectedly dropped by the classroom where prom committee meetings were held shortly before that day’s meeting got underway.

Before he had even crossed the doorway, Cleo had thrown her arms around him. “You have no idea how happy I am to see you!” She said dramatically, her words drawn out for emphasis. “Today was a nightmare. I had three tests!”

“I figured you’d need some support today,” Deuce said, shrugging, “What with prom being right around the corner, I thought maybe you could use an extra hand.”

“Yes!” Cleo exclaimed, clapping her hands together. “You can assist Invisibilly with painting the banner.” She quickly turned her attention to the loitering students in the classroom. “All right everyone,” She announced, “You all have your assignments, so let’s get to work!”

Deuce smiled fondly at his ghoulfriend before wandering over to the corner of the room where Invisibilly sat on the floor, concentration trained solely on the large banner laid out across the floor.

“So, uh, Cleo told me to come help you with the banner,” Deuce explained.

Without missing a beat, Invisibilly muttered, “Ok, you can start by painting that part on the end gray.”

Deuce quickly got to work, grabbing the nearby can of stone-gray paint and a large brush.

“So,” he said after a few minutes of silent work, “What are your plans for prom?”

“Nothing too complicated, really,” Invisibilly replied, “I’m gonna take Scarah to her favorite restaurant beforehand, but it’ll be pretty lowkey. What about you?”

“Oh, Cleo and I are gonna go out to eat with a bunch of other people,” Deuce said, glancing over at Cleo, who was currently explaining a task to Venus Mcflytrap. Without realizing, his lips spread into a smile as he gazed at her. He wasn’t that big into school dances, but as far as he was concerned, any instance where he could spend special time with Cleo was worth it.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jackson poses an important question, while a certain werecat refuses to come to terms with her feelings...

“What did you want to talk about?” Frankie asked, schoolbooks pressed tightly to her chest as she and Jackson navigated the crowded hall after the final bell had sounded.

“Er, well,” Jackson stammered, gliding into a nearby alcove near the stairs. Frankie followed behind, so she wouldn’t be caught up in the endless stream of students.

“I know this isn’t a very special or extravagant way of doing it or anything, but um…” he rustled around some papers in his notebook before producing an amateurly-made paper flower and presenting it to her. “Would you...go to prom with me?”

Frankie stared in shock at the flower offered to her. Her eyes quickly traveled up to meet Jackson’s; they were bright and hopeful, but the rest of him from his blushing face to his shaking hands showed how nervous he really was.

Frankie couldn’t think of a single word to say. This was unexpected, to say the least. “I, er--”

“If you don’t want to, that’s fine!” Jackson added quickly, “If you’ve already got a date, or--”

“It’s not that,” Frankie responded swiftly, “I just wasn’t expecting it, is all.” She smiled sincerely, lightening the growing tension some.

“Okay…” Jackson said tentatively, “So then, what do you say?”

Frankie’s cheeks flushed a bright pink as she grew suddenly flustered. At that moment, she remembered how much she had liked Jackson a couple of years earlier before things had gotten...complicated.

She took a deep breath and clasped Jackson’s hand, which was still clutching the flower. “If I say yes, you’ve got to promise me you’ll actually follow through,” she said sternly.

“I will,” Jackson assured, “Things are a lot better between Holt and I now, it’ll work out, I promise.”

“Ok,” Frankie said, moment of seriousness passing as her regular tone returned. “A whole bunch of us are going to Outback Stakehouse at 6 before prom though, ok? Do you want to come?”

“O-ok,” Jackson stammered, smiling nervously. “Sounds fun.” 

“I’ll see you Monday, then,” Frankie chirped, swiftly walking off with the paper flower in her hand.

After they parted ways, Jackson breathed a sigh of relief. Frankie, however, barely made it to her locker without falling to pieces--her legs felt like jelly, and her bolts wouldn’t stop sparking. Why was she suddenly this anxious? She and Jackson had been good friends for years, and she knew that the fact that they were going to prom together wasn't going to change that.

She looked down at the paper flower, smiling fondly and blushing harder. She was oblivious to the world for a brief moment, so she didn’t notice the ghoul hiding just around the corner...

~ ~ ~

Toralei was proud. She was cold, she was mean, she was feared. Now that she had seniority over the underclassmen, this had become even more evident. She would never let anyone get to her, especially that goody two-shoes Frankie.

Yet her throat felt strangely tight, and everything was just a little bit numb.

She had known for the longest time that Jackson had an embarrassingly huge crush on Frankie; it was obvious to everyone but the oblivious girl. Toralei knew that the previous year, when Jackson had asked her to be his date to prom, it was only because Frankie wasn’t available. He liked her, but not nearly as much as he liked Frankie. It was no surprise that Jackson was going to ask Frankie to be his date to prom this year. 

Toralei knew that she of all people should be unfazed by this, but the way the pit in the bottom of her stomach grew and a burning sensation prickled at her eyes said otherwise. Here she was, THE Toralei, fighting back tears over a boy, especially a _normie_ boy. It was pathetic, really. She glared at the floor, ignoring the way she felt as she carelessly shoved her books and folders into her locker.

She was better than this, she told herself, but it didn’t make her feel all that much better.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> in which I do just a bit of channeling my 10th grade self into my favorite mischievous werecat whoops


	3. Chapter 3

Cleo had scolded her for arriving late to the prom committee meeting, but Frankie had been too distracted to be upset. She offered a quick apology, but was still preoccupied by her wandering thoughts and worked slower than usual. She could tell that Cleo had grown suspicious, and hoped she wouldn’t ask questions. She wasn’t sure how she was going to break the news to her best friends that Jackson was going to be her prom date.

When Jackson texted her that night to work out the details, it sent her bolts sparking like mad all over again. She and Jackson talked and texted each other all the time, but this time was...different. 

_We’re getting ready at Draculaura’s beforehand, then taking a limo 2 Outback Stakehouse. u live close to Draculaura’s place, so u can just meet us there @ 6, ok?_

_Sounds good. I can’t wait!_

Every time her iCoffin buzzed, her heart fluttered excitedly. Still, she kept telling herself not to get so anxious, especially when there was one big detail they still needed to work out.

_What about Holt?_

Frankie waited for Jackson’s reply. Though it was only five minutes until he sent her his message, it felt like an hour had passed.

_He’s the prom DJ but I made him agree to give me at least half an hour. Operetta’s gonna cover for him during that time. I wish I could spend more time with u though_

Frankie read his message over and over again. To tell the truth, she was pleasantly surprised. She didn’t think she’d manage to get more than one dance with Jackson, as she was aware of the fact that Holt was going to DJ the dance. Of all the situations for her and Jackson to hang out, this had to be the trickiest event to work around. It was more the principle of the thing, and also the date beforehand that mattered to her, however.

Her heart skipped a beat as she realized that this was indeed a date. She was going to go on a date with Jackson Jekyll.

~ ~ ~

Frankie still wasn’t quite sure how to bring up the topic of Jackson with her ghoulfriends. It was a seemingly easy task, as prom dates and prom plans had been the conversation topic at the lunch table for weeks, but she was worried about how they’d react. They were always gushing over each others’ love lives, and she knew this would be no different. However, things had gotten complicated for her and Jackson in the past, so she was concerned her friends wouldn't think it was a good idea to give him another chance. 

“I’ve made sure Deuce and I are perfectly color coordinated,” Cleo declared to her table full of friends the following Tuesday, “So there’s no way we’ll clash.”

“Yeah, same with me and Clawd,” Draculaura chimed in.

Frankie sat silently for a few moments, fidgeting with her napkin. “I’ve still got to plan that out with my date.”

All conversation came to a screeching halt as all the ghouls laid eyes on her.

“You have a date?” Cleo was the first to speak up. Though it wasn’t her intention, it came across as slightly incredulous.

“Who is it??” Draculaura was quick to ask.

“Er, Jackson,” Frankie replied hesitantly, blushing slightly and averting her eyes from the penetrating gaze of her peers. “He asked me last Friday, and I said yes.”

“Oh my gosh!” Draculaura squealed excitedly, “Good for you, Frankie!” 

“Why didn’t you tell us sooner?” Clawdeen asked.

“Probably because of who it is,” Cleo said skeptically. “I mean, Jackson’s not exactly the most trustworthy person...”

“He’s gotten a lot better,” Frankie said defensively, “Everything will work out fine.”

“I hope so,” Lagoona said cheerfully, though a hint of doubt was apparent in her voice.

“Also, I never really thought it was that big of a deal,” Frankie added, shrugging. This was a lie and she knew it; she felt bad for saying it, but she didn't want her friends to make a big fuss over her.

“Not a big deal? It’s senior prom!” Draculaura declared dramatically.

“To be honest, I didn’t think you and Jackson were anything more than friends,” Lagoona offhandedly mentioned.

“Well, we’re not,” Frankie said hesitantly.

“But you _are_ going to prom together,” Cleo insisted.

Frankie shrugged. “Only because he asked me. We’re still only friends.”

Draculaura grinned. “Still, this is totes amazing! I’m so excited for you, Frankie!”

Frankie smiled sheepishly at the excited ghouls surrounding her. 

“If anything goes wrong, I will give him stern talking-to,” Abbey offered.

“It’ll be fine, guys. Really,” Frankie assured, “No matter what, I’ve always got you. We’ll all have a lot of fun.”


	4. Chapter 4

“Clawd’s already home from college for summer vacation, so he’ll be able to be my date to prom,” Draculaura explained, “Even though he graduated last year, he has permission to be attend prom as a guest.”

“I’ve been taking not having him in the house for granted,” Clawdeen snorted. “Now that he’s back for the summer, it’s just one more sibling to hog the bathroom and leave dirty clothes on the stairs!”

Draculaura laughed as she lounged on her coffin-shaped bed. Clawdeen was lying lazily on the hot pink comforter, painting her claws. She was still in her pajamas, despite the fact that it was three-thirty in the afternoon. She had slept over at Draculaura’s, and had woken up only a couple hours before Lagoona, Abbey, and Frankie had arrived. At this point, they were just waiting on Cleo and Ghoulia.

Lagoona beamed at Draculaura, “It’s so nice that he can still be your date even though he’s graduated.”

“Could care less if I had date or not,” Abbey declared, “Am going to prom with Heath only because he asked in very flashy way.”

“I guess you could call setting the lawn in front of the school on fire to form the word ‘PROM?’ is pretty flashy,” Lagoona agreed, “But that’s just like him, I suppose.”

“Haven’t you two been dating for, like, almost a year?” Clawdeen questioned.

“Sort of,” Abbey said flatly, “It is not really official thing. I suppose I am fond of the strange boy. I think I may have been a little bit upset if he had not asked me to prom.”

Lagoona and Abbey laughed. Clawdeen smiled as she continued painting her claws dark purple. None of them had really started getting ready yet--their dresses hung in Draculaura’s closet, and the makeup sat untouched on her sink and vanity. Lagoona’s hair had just been set in curlers, and the flat iron had just been plugged in to begin heating up.

It wasn’t long before Cleo and Ghoulia arrived. Cleo was visibly exasperated as she promptly flopped onto the fuzzy pink armchair in the corner of Draculaura’s room.

“Sorry we’re late, I had some last minute adjustments I needed to attend to,” Cleo explained, “But everything’s ready for tonight.”

“Why didn’t you call us? We could’ve helped you,” Frankie said, shifting her focus to her friend.

Cleo dismissed her with a wave of a bandaged hand. “It wasn’t that big of a deal, don’t worry about me.”

“Ok,” Frankie replied, unconvinced. She was a bit worried about Cleo, who’d been working herself to the bone for weeks to make sure prom was perfect.

“Well, I think it’s time you had a well-deserved break,” Clawdeen suggested, screwing the cap back onto the bottle of purple polish. “What you need is to relax and hang out with your ghoulfriends.”

Cleo smiled. “That sounds _divine_.”

~ ~ ~

As everyone was incredibly busy with not only prom prep, but studying for finals and preparing for their upcoming graduation, they were all excited for a night to have fun and let loose.

That is, all except for Frankie. She was excited and all, but she also felt the nervous knot in her stomach get tighter as she thought about the night of music and dancing. 

Slow dancing. 

_With Jackson._

Her heart fluttered excitedly. She had told her ghoulfriends that she and Jackson were friends and nothing more, but she herself was becoming unconvinced of that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here, we see Heath pulling the "Pete Wentz a la _Dance, Dance_ music video" Promposal


	5. Chapter 5

Two hours of laughter, blasting music, perfecting some fancy updos, and trying out some daring new makeup looks had passed in the blink of an eye. In less than half an hour, the ghouls’ dates would arrive in the limo, and some of them were still scrambling to spritz their locks with hairspray or even get their dresses on.

Draculaura had been the first to finish, her hair curled and pinned up with her bangs swept to the side. She had been generous with her application of glittery pink eyeshadow, and her naturally long lashes fluttered under a few coats of mascara. Her strapless dress was a cheery hot pink with black lace overlay, and easily had the fullest and poofiest skirt out of all of them.

She was currently helping Abbey lace up the corset back of her glittery gown, which was easier due to the fact that her long hair was piled on top of her head. She chose a pale, icy hue for both her makeup and her flared, layered dress.

“Do not understand why this type of dress is popular,” Abbey mused, “Is very pretty, but not comfortable.”

“This is nothing compared to what I had to wear back in the 19th century,” Draculaura said, tying the ribbon into a pretty bow. “Those corsets were killer. I couldn’t breathe!”

“Uhhhhnn,” Ghoulia groaned in agreement as she pushed her cherry-red glasses higher up on her nose. She was currently sitting on the bed while Cleo did her hair. The flowy black skirt of her empire-waist gown was a mussed bunch of cloth as she sat awkwardly cross-legged, her legs completely hidden under the fabric. She adjusted the red blood-drip adorned halter top as Cleo worked magic with the curling iron.

“You shouldn’t sit like that, your dress will get wrinkled,” Cleo commented as she let drop a curled lock of Ghoulia’s sky blue hair.

“Ehhhhhhh,” Ghoulia protested as she uncrossed her legs.

“Hey, does anyone have like, one bobby pin I can borrow?” Clawdeen asked from Draculaura’s bathroom. She had just completed her striking makeup; she had gone for a smoky eye with exaggerated winged liner and rich plum ombre lipstick. She’d hardly touched her eyebrows, which were naturally full and nicely shaped. She was now in the process of pinning back a portion of her hair, hence the need for bobby pins. She loved her naturally wavy and curly hair, but she had opted to make the effort to straighten it just for the special night. 

“Here’s one,” Lagoona said, handing it to Clawdeen in between placing some small, ornate clips in her curled shoulder-length hair. She’d played up the fact that her hair had pale blue streaks throughout it by choosing gown of a similar shade.

“Thanks,” Clawdeen said, strategically placing the bobby pin handed to her in her glossy, caramel-brown hair. She wasn’t doing a style too fancy, but she was okay with that as she figured her makeup and outfit would speak for itself. The vibrant purple suit jacket with matching pants were fitted perfectly to her slender frame, and the jet black tie suited her magnificently. There were also small, glittering accents on the edges of her suit that would sparkle in the moonlight. If that wasn’t enough, the absence of a floor length skirt would show off the fancy gold heels she was going to wear. 

It wasn’t long before everyone had finished getting ready for the most part, as the ghouls fiddled with small tweaks and last minute touch-ups. It was five to six when they heard a knock at the door.

“They’re early,” Cleo observed, “I thought for sure it would take the boys at least ten or fifteen minutes longer to get here.”

“Me too,” Draculaura agreed, moving towards her bedroom door.

Frankie and Clawdeen followed closely behind as Draculaura went down the main hall to go answer the front door. She swung the door open, careful to not let the evening sunlight stream in too far and was greeted by Jackson, Deuce, and Clawd.

Jackson stared at her, fist poised to knock again. “Er, hi.”

“Hi Jackson,” Draculaura chirped happily before shooting a mischievous glance over her shoulder towards Frankie.

Frankie stepped forward, waving shyly. “Hey, Jackson.”

She and Jackson exchanged awkward glances before Jackson cleared his throat. “You look really pretty.”

Frankie felt her face grow hot as she tried not to get flustered by the simple compliment. “Thanks,” she replied cheerfully, admiring her shiny silver and electric blue gown as she avoided eye contact.

Draculaura began to make a fuss over the two of them as Frankie knew they would. 

“Our little Frankie’s all grown up!” Draculaura cried. “Look at you two! You’re so adorable!”

Frankie’s cheeks flushed pink once again as a certain fiery-haired manster flailed his arms out the open window of the limo parked in front of the house. “C’mon, let’s go!”

“The boys are here!” Clawdeen called out to the others, who were still in Draculaura's room down the hall. “Let’s go, ghouls!”

Abbey, Cleo, Ghoulia, and Lagoona, hastily shoving lipsticks and iCoffins into their purses, scurried down the hall towards the door where the rest stood waiting,.

“This is sure to be a night to remember,” Lagoona remarked as the lot wandered out the door.


	6. Chapter 6

Cleo had placed a reservation at Outback Stakehouse for the group of them, and when they arrived, they were thankful for that as the place was packed with other monsters all dolled up for prom.

“I guess this place was a pretty popular choice, huh?” Deuce remarked as the group was seated at their table. 

Once they were settled, they all began perusing the menu and making small talk. Frankie was a little too aware of the fact that Jackson was seated right next to her as she scanned the menu; she was so preoccupied that she had to re-read the description for one entree three times over.

“Don’t they have any vegetarian options that aren’t plain, boring salad?” Draculaura questioned, pointing at the soup & salad section of the printed menu.

Clawd nodded sympathetically as Draculaura aired her woes about the lack of vegetarian options. Clawdeen had to admire her brother, as she knew he would probably be ordering the biggest steak on the menu and couldn’t care less about the salads. Despite their opposite tastes, Draculaura and Clawd got along very well. In the years they’d been dating, Draculaura had become a little more tolerant of seeing meat and blood and Clawd had gotten into the habit of eating more vegetables.

“Am happy they serve breakfast foods all day,” Abbey declared happily, “This means I can order pancakes.”

“Don’tcha mean hotcakes?” Heath said mischievously, “Since you’re so--”

Heath’s cheesy attempt at flirting was abruptly halted as Abbey kicked him under the table and he stifled a yelp. Lagoona and Clawdeen shared a laugh as Abbey didn’t even attempt to hide her satisfied smile.

“So, Clawdeen,” Lagoona asked, “Planning on dancing with any cute mansters tonight?”

“N-no,” Clawdeen replied, slightly flustered. “You know I don’t really care about that kind of thing.”

“Aw, but it’s senior prom, you should dance with someone for at least one song,” Lagoona countered.

“So are you gonna dance with someone, then?” Clawdeen shot back.

“I will if someone asks me,” Lagoona replied wistfully.

“Fine, then I will too,” Clawdeen said indignantly, “Since you’re so concerned about me.”

Lagoona brushed off the sour-faced Clawdeen. “C’mon, it’ll be fun, just don’t worry about it, mate.”

Ghoulia groaned in agreement. She was only going to be at prom for the first hour, despite her friends’ vehement protests. She was getting really serious about studying for finals after being accepted to a poison ivy league university, and had made it a daily habit to study before going to bed relatively early, which meant not staying out past 9:00. Even on a Saturday--even on prom night--she refused to diverge from her rigid study schedule. The only reason she was even going to prom at all this year was because of her friends’ insistence, especially from her beastie Cleo.

They all chattered away excitedly, finally ordering their meals after the waiter had visited their table three times, as it took that long for Draculaura to convince Clawd to get a side of asparagus with his steak, and for both Heath and Cleo to decide what they wanted.

~ ~ ~

As Frankie had discovered months earlier, time was passing much too quickly. As she watched her friends laughing hysterically in between bites of their meals, she realized that this was a special moment they would never experience again. All of them together, happily chattering away, less than an hour from dancing the night away at their senior prom. For a fleeting moment, Frankie wished that she was back to being fifteen days old, excited for her first day at Monster High. She soon shook off that thought, as she’d made so many friends and had so many fun adventures that she didn’t want to change a single thing about how she’d spent her years at Monster High. She wouldn’t trade this moment for the world, and wouldn’t trade her un-life up until this point for _anything._

Their senior year was swiftly coming to an end, and tonight was going to be the best night of their lives.

_That’s the only thing I should be thinking about right now,_ Frankie told herself, flashing a smile as she enthusiastically joined in on her friends’ conversation.

~ ~ ~

Jackson had apologized profusely when he had to bow out early, in order to give Holt enough time to set up the DJ equipment. Frankie had assured him it was fine, as she had known they would have to account for Holt. Jackson muttered one last “sorry” before dropping the cash for his meal at his place on the table and dashing off.

“It’s too bad you and Jackson won’t be able to spend the _whole_ night together,” Lagoona said sympathetically, her head resting in her hand.

“Well, both of us knew Holt was the DJ tonight and had to make our plans around it,” Frankie explained, “But he and Holt planned for Jackson and I to have at least half an hour together tonight, while Operetta is gonna cover for him on DJ duty.”

“Holt and Jackson have really gotten it together, haven’t they?” Lagoona mentioned, “They never used to be able to work around each other, but now they’re getting along so well!”

“Yeah,” Frankie agreed, “I have faith in them.”


	7. Chapter 7

The excitement in the air was growing. Frankie and her friends were giddy with glee as they approached the familiar high school building. There was something foreign and strange about being at school on a weekend, especially after sunset. Though the horizon was dark, the tall structure stood towering into the night sky, colorful lights streaming out the windows and muffled music heard even from outside. Frankie could feel the bass in her chest as they approached the front doors.

They waltzed in through the main entrance with Cleo leading the way. Heads turned to witness the group of ghouls making their grand entrance. Cleo was very appreciative of this, basking in the attention she received while sauntering in with Deuce on her arm.

Frankie and friends had gotten used to Cleo’s dramatic tendencies and love for the limelight. With all the work she had put into making sure this night would run smoothly and flawlessly, she certainly deserved all the attention she was now receiving. Deuce had also gotten pretty accustomed to his royal ghoulfriend, and smiled suavely as Cleo strutted out onto the dance floor with all eyes on her.

The beat from the pop song pumping out from the speakers was easy to dance to, and it didn’t take long before the ghouls really started to let loose. Frankie was careful to not get too wild so as to ensure her stitches wouldn’t come undone and cause a catastrophe, but other than that she didn’t have a care in the world. She and Draculaura cheerfully sung along to the songs that they knew by heart, as Clawdeen and Lagoona looked on with cheerful smiles.

Frankie and her friends had become one with the cluster of monsters on the dance floor at this point. Every now and then she would catch a glimpse of the DJ booth between the sea of ghouls and mansters. During one of these instances, she and Holt had made eye contact, resulting in him shooting a sly wink her way.

Frankie shook her head at him playfully, smile still on her face. It was rather obvious that Holt was still interested in her, and she’d be lying if she said she wasn’t interested in him at all, but she had made her choice. She treasured her friendship with both Jackson and Holt, but once again had blossoming feelings for Jackson that she didn’t want anything to get in the way of. She really didn’t want to have another love triangle dilemma with the two of them, especially after they had come so far and everything was going so well.

_Even so, could I ever really date Jackson?_

Frankie shivered. She was on a date with him right now, wasn’t she?

She glanced over at the DJ booth again. It seemed so close, and yet so far away. If she _was_ going to date Jackson, was this what it was going to be like?

“Hey ghoul, is everything okay?” Draculaura shimmied over to where Frankie stood by herself. She had unknowingly distanced herself from her group of friends, due to subconsciously inching her way towards where Holt was.

“You’ve been looking over at Holt a lot,” Clawdeen mentioned, pointing towards the DJ booth.

“Jackson’s just been on my mind, I guess,” Frankie shrugged, laughing nervously.

“He’ll keep his promise to you,” Draculaura quickly assured.

“Yeah, and if he doesn’t, I’ll be sure to give him an earful,” Clawdeen added.

“I’m not worried about that,” Frankie said, though the nagging in the back of her mind told her otherwise.

“Well, then why don’t we go back over to where Cleo and the others are?” Clawdeen suggested. “The night’s only getting started!”


	8. Chapter 8

Frankie was having a blast. She was smiling, laughing, and dancing with her closest friends; it was shaping up to be the perfect prom night. She had joined Clawdeen and Lagoona in the bathroom for a makeup touch-up and brief chat during the first slow dance, and the DJ had already played her favorite song...but that was hardly a surprise, considering who the DJ was.

The night had only begun. It was five minutes to nine o’clock, the time she was supposed to meet up with Jackson. She and Holt had arranged to meet at the refreshment table, then she and Jackson would take it from there. 

She poured herself a glass of punch and sipped it as she waited for her date. It was bright red, fizzy, and fruity, which was a deviation from the usual questionable and unidentifiable substances the school served. 

The time she was to meet her date came and went. Five minutes turned into ten and she started to feel foolish for lingering around the punch table for so long by herself.

_Maybe this wasn’t a good idea, after all._

“Frankie, Frankie, _Frankie!_ ” A familiar voice called out above the chaotic cacophony of the dance floor.

Frankie immediately perked up, her bolts sparking as she spied Holt strutting towards her. She had a fleeting thought about how cute he looked in his flame red suit jacket and tie, but her excitement to see Jackson quickly pushed that out of her head.

“You that excited to see me, Frankie-Fine?” Holt cocked an eyebrow and gestured to the electricity Frankie exuded.

“Well, not exactly you, so much as Jackson,” Frankie explained sheepishly, “Sorry, Holt.”

“Aw, are you sure you can’t spare just one dance with me?” Holt suggested, sidling up to Frankie.

“Not this time, Holt,” Frankie said, “Jackson and I only have a short amount of time as it is.”

“Aw, all right.” 

Holt begrudgingly slipped on a pair of noise-cancelling headphones, and in a brief flash of light, Frankie was greeted with a slightly disoriented Jackson.

“Oh, Frankie!” Jackson seemed to quickly grasp his bearings as he caught sight of her electrifying smile. “Er, what time is it? I’m not late, am I?”

“You’re fine,” Frankie giggled, “It’s only a little after nine.” She grabbed his hand, causing a small pulse of electricity to pass from her to Jackson. “C’mon, let’s go dance!” Frankie dragged Jackson out onto the dance floor, quickly meeting back up to her friends.

“Jackson! You made it!” Draculaura exclaimed excitedly as soon as she saw him.

“Good to see you, man,” Deuce chimed in.

Jackson glanced around, smiling at everyone but having no idea what they were saying, thanks to the headphones. He swayed to the beat reverberating through the floors, as everyone around him danced wildly.

After that song finished, things slowed down once more as Holt’s temporary replacement as DJ, Operetta, played a quieter tune for the next slow dance. Frankie’s heart began to beat faster, as she tried to hastily work up the courage to dance with Jackson. She knew it was coming, but it had happened so suddenly she found herself flustered as she turned to face Jackson.

“Frankie!”

Just as she was about to catch Jackson’s attention, she whipped her head around to hear who had called her name.

“Thank Ra I found you!” a frazzled-looking Cleo who had seemingly materialized out of thin air clasped onto Frankie’s shoulders with a deathgrip. “I need your help! Ghoulia’s car won’t start, so we need a boost from you.”

“Er, okay,” Frankie agreed as Cleo practically dragged her out to the parking lot. 

_Well, so much for the slow dance…_ but this gave her time to work up the nerve to ask Jackson to dance by the time the next slow song came on. She breathed a quick sigh of relief as Cleo led her to where Ghoulia’s car was parked.

~ ~ ~

Jackson had retreated to the bathroom on the opposite end of the school, one of the only places where the booming music was so faint that he could safely take off his headphones without awakening Holt.

He sighed as he glanced up at his reflection in the cracked mirror above the sink. He could tell by watching the crowd and feeling the beat of the music when a slow dance was happening, and Frankie had conveniently disappeared just as he was about to ask her to dance. He was disheartened as he wondered if Frankie had only agreed to be his date to be nice.

The bathroom door swung open with a creak. Jackson was taken by surprise, as he wasn’t expecting anyone else to use a restroom this far from the dance floor.

“Hey man, are you okay?” Deuce hesitantly wandered in. “I saw you dash off all of a sudden.”

“Huh? Uh, yeah, I’m fine,” Jackson rubbed the back of his neck anxiously. “I just needed some peace and quiet for a few minutes, is all.” His eyes examined the grimy tile floor. “But what are you doing here? Shouldn’t you be dancing with Cleo?”

“Ah, well,” Deuce laughed nervously, “She was going to see Ghoulia off, but then Ghoulia’s car wouldn’t start, so then she had to get Frankie’s help to jumpstart it.”

“Oh!” Jackson suddenly perked up. “So that’s why Frankie disappeared all of a sudden?”

“Yeah,” Deuce replied, “She wasn’t blowing you off or anything like that, dude. Frankie would never do that, especially not to you.”

Jackson’s cheeks flushed a light pink as he was filled with a renewed excitement. What was he thinking? Of course Frankie wouldn’t do something like that! He slid his trusty headphones back on before he and Deuce made their way back to the main hall.


	9. Chapter 9

Frankie and Cleo hustled back into the school after Ghoulia had driven off. Frankie had given it one last shot to try to convince her to stay for another hour, but Cleo had waved her off, telling her Ghoulia’s decision to study and go to bed early was wise and not going to waver no matter what anyone said.

The music had picked up once again, the slow dance now long over. Frankie was thinking over how to apologize to Jackson for disappearing with no warning, but before she could say or do anything, Jackson waved at her with a friendly smile, and quickly explained he was aware of the situation.

“I’m sure there will be at least one more slow song before Holt has to go back to DJ duty,” Jackson assured.

“Yeah,” Frankie agreed, though she knew he couldn’t hear her.

~ ~ ~

Everything was going flawlessly. _Of course it is,_ Cleo thought, _I’m the one who planned and arranged everything, after all._

She glanced up at Deuce, who was bobbing his head up and down to the beat of the music. His silver-framed sunglasses he’d chosen specifically for the special night glimmered in the colorful lights that shined over the darkened dancefloor. When he noticed her eyes on him, he flashed a smile at his ghoulfriend.

She would never admit it, not even to Deuce, but deep down Cleo knew that she never could have done everything she did in preparation for prom without Deuce’s help and moral support. She brushed her hand across his, their fingers intertwining.

“You really did an amazing job,” Deuce commented, “This has gotta be one of the best proms Monster High’s ever had.”

“Of course,” Cleo replied proudly. “With me as the committee leader, prom was bound to be perfect.” She rested her head on her boyfriend’s shoulder. “Although… the help from everyone involved really made it possible.”

Deuce raised an eyebrow at his unusually altruistic ghoulfriend. However, he smiled as soon as he saw her face: it was strangely soft and warm for a fleeting moment, an expression rather out of the ordinary for the haughty Cleo deNile.

Deuce wrapped his arm around her as they swayed together to the song. The dancing was a lot of fun, but Cleo found herself realizing that it was the time spent with those close to her that was really making the night special.


	10. Chapter 10

Toralei wanted to say she was having fun, but truth be told, she was miserable. She leaned against the wall, watching her classmates on the dance floor, a sour look on her face. Meowlody and Purrsephone were happily chatting away with their dates, completely oblivious to their friend’s sulking.

“What’s the matter, Toralei?” Purrsephone asked, finally taking notice of her friend’s bitter attitude. “It’s prom night, aren’t you happy?”

“No,” Toralei stated flatly.

“Is it just because you don’t have a date?” Meowlody scoffed, “I thought you said you didn’t care about that.”

“It’s not that,” Toralei shot back defensively, “And I don’t care!”

“Well, whatever it is,” Meowlody said, “We’re gonna go get some punch. Feel free to join us when you’re done moping.”

“I’m not moping,” Toralei mumbled indignantly, too quietly for anyone but herself to hear. It was a lie, and she knew it.

She could’ve tried to sabotage the evening--in fact, she had suggested the idea to Meowlody and Purrsephone, but they had rejected her proposition. For the first time ever, they weren’t on board with a scheme to ruin something for everyone else, because they wanted to enjoy the prom. Perhaps that was why Toralei was so resentful?

_That could be part of it,_ she thought, _but…_

She glanced over to where Frankie and her friends happily danced away. She sneered, filled with malice at the mere sight of the chipper Frankie. Her expression quickly changed, however, as her eyes darted from Frankie to her date.

Of all people, why was _Jackson_ the one she had to get a crush on?!

_He’s a pathetic normie,_ Toralei told herself. No; she felt bad for even thinking that. She, Toralei Stripe, felt _bad_ for merely _thinking_ something mean? She had _done_ far worse in the past; what had changed?

_I’m the only pathetic one here,_ Toralei thought to herself as she left her spot by the wall to drown her sorrows in punch.

~ ~ ~

The night was really picking up as it approached 9:30. Both Frankie and Jackson knew Holt would have to get back to the DJ booth soon, and they both grew excitably nervous as the inevitability of another slow dance creeped up on them.

As the bouncy pop tune faded out, the dreamy and romantic intro of a slow song began. Frankie glanced around at the monsters surrounding her, who were all quickly pairing up. She nervously looked up at Jackson; he smiled sheepishly at her as the two turned to face each other.

“Would you dance with--”

Jackson was promptly interrupted as someone walked right up to Frankie, forcefully diverting her attention from her date.

“Oh, hi Neighthan,” Frankie smiled politely, greeting the manster who was only a few paces away.

“Er, will you please dance with me?” He asked, extending his hand out to her. His question had almost a hint of pleading, and Frankie was never one to turn someone down.

She glanced back at Jackson apologetically. “Er, well--”

“It’s fine, go ahead,” Jackson responded, but he couldn’t help but be disappointed as Neighthan quickly led Frankie over to the opposite end of the dance floor. 

Jackson wandered over to the refreshment table, once again without a ghoul to dance with. He sighed as he poured himself a cup of punch. After this song, Holt would probably have to return; he and Frankie had most likely missed their chance.

It was then that he felt a light tap on his shoulder.


	11. Chapter 11

One of the last ghouls Jackson expected to see stood before him. Before he could say a word, she motioned for him to follow her, and she dove into a hallway where the music was significantly muffled.

Jackson cautiously slipped his headphones off as he glanced around the empty hall. “Toralei? What are you--”

“You looked lonely,” Toralei blurted out, “It’s kinda pathetic.”

Jackson rolled his eyes. “Look, if you were just gonna have me take off my headphones so you could insult me--”

“Er, no, I didn’t mean it like that,” She stammered, “I mean, I’ve been...it’s been a rough night for me, and--”

“If you want my help with some mischievous plan, forget it,” Jackson interrupted, about to put his headphones back on.

“No, wait,” Toralei grabbed his arm. “I just--I wanted to ask you if you’d dance with me.”

Jackson was slightly surprised. “Is this just because I asked you to prom last year?”

“Well, kind of,” Toralei replied, “And also because well, I...I really like you, Jackson.”

Jackson blinked incredulously. He was silent for a moment, glancing out towards the entrance of the hallway. “Well, er, I--”

“I know you like Frankie,” Toralei interjected, “Trust me, she likes you too. I’m just asking for one dance, Jackson, not for you to date me.”

Toralei rarely showed the vulnerable and emotional side of herself; most would be surprised to learn that she even had one. Because of this, Jackson was somewhat taken aback. He had certainly never expected to hear such a confession from her, either.

“Well, okay,” He agreed, slipping his headphones back on. “I’ll dance with you.”

The pair hurried out of the hall. The song was half over by now, so Toralei wasted no time in wrapping her hands around Jackson’s neck and moving her body gracefully to the dreamy song. Jackson blushed at her brashness, as he hesitated to put his hands around her waist. He had danced with her last year, and he’d been just as awkward then, if not more so; when it came to ghouls and dancing, he’d hardly changed in the past year.

Toralei rolled her eyes playfully. “You’re hopeless, you nerd,” She purred under her breath.

The flared bottom portion of her form-fitting mermaid-style gown swooshed back and forth as she swayed, exposing the bright orange tulle underlay of the black satin dress. Jackson followed her lead as they danced together through the bridge of the song.

As it wound down to an end, Toralei hesitated to let go of Jackson. That is, until she caught sight of a quickly approaching Frankie in her peripheral vision.

She immediately took her hands off of Jackson. “Thanks for the dance,” She quickly murmured as she hastily slipped away.

“Hey, Toralei, wait!” Jackson called out to her, but she ignored him as she disappeared into the crowd.


	12. Chapter 12

“Hey, were you dancing with Toralei?” Frankie asked as she approached Jackson, her eyes fixated on the direction the werecat has rushed off in.

“Er, she asked me to dance,” Jackson replied, taking a guess at what Frankie had said.

“That’s nice,” Frankie smiled fondly, “I felt bad for leaving you alone like that again!”

“All right y’all, I have a special request,” Operetta’s voice echoed over the speakers. “We’re gonna have a twofer! I hope your special guy or ghoul didn’t stray too far away, as I’ve got another slow song comin’ right up!”

Jackson’s brows furrowed as he briefly lifted up one side of his headphones. “That’s weird, Holt had a specific playlist planned, and it didn’t include--”

“Why question it?” Jackson was interrupted as Clawdeen suddenly materialized at Frankie’s side. “Now’s your chance to dance with her!”

Clawdeen pushed a slightly bewildered Frankie towards him before she disappeared just as quickly as she had appeared, leaving a very flustered couple in her wake. 

“Er, um, that’s a good idea,” Jackson stammered as Frankie turned to look at him. He quickly flashed a smile, extending a hand out to her. “Frankie, may I have this dance?”

Frankie beamed back at him, blushing slightly as she gently took Jackson’s hand in her own and they walked out onto the middle of the dance floor together. Jackson was even more awkward around Frankie due to how much he liked her, as he nervously fumbled with his bowtie and nearly tripped over his feet on their way to the center of the dance floor.

Frankie wrapped her hands around the back of Jackson’s neck. She led their dance, much like how Toralei had, but the way she moved and danced was significantly different than werecat. She was much less intimidating...and less graceful. She seemed just as flummoxed as Jackson, and they both nearly stepped on each other’s feet several times. They shared a laugh before their eyes met--the tension between them was heightened, yet they couldn’t look away from each other.

“You have beautiful eyes,” Jackson said, transfixed by her gaze. His face turned beet red and he quickly averted his own eyes as he realized what had just come out of his mouth. “Oh, um, sorry, that probably sounded really stupid--”

Frankie giggled. “No, I thought it was really sweet.”

Jackson smiled back at the cheery Frankie. In his eyes, she almost seemed to be radiating sunshine--her smile could light up a room in seconds.

“You know, Frankie, there’s something I’ve been meaning to tell you,” Jackson mentioned, “But I’m not sure if now is exactly the right time--”

“FRANKIE!”

Jackson was interrupted once again, this time by frantic Draculaura.

She ran up to Frankie, exasperated, with a concerned look on her face. “Frankie, there’s been an, um, _situation_. Lagoona’s crying in the bathroom, and we really need you right now,” She explained.

Frankie gasped, immediately letting go of Jackson and separating from him. “Oh no, what happened?” 

“I’ll explain on the way,” Draculaura said hastily, seemingly unaware that Jackson was even there.

Frankie glanced over at Jackson, a worried look on her face. “I’m sorry, I have to go--”

Without another word, Frankie abruptly left halfway through their slow dance. Jackson was more concerned for Lagoona, though, and what could’ve happened to her. Unsure of what to do after Frankie’s unexpected exit, he stood frozen under the colorful lights shining down onto the center of the dance floor, alone in the sea of monsters.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm starting to realize my "chapters" are, like, really short oops


	13. Chapter 13

Frankie followed closely behind Draculaura as they entered the nearby girl’s restroom.

“Lagoona? Lagoona, it’s me and Frankie,” Draculaura said as they wandered past the row of stalls.

They were greeted by a distraught Lagoona, sitting on the floor and crying, her knees tucked closely to her chest. Clawdeen was crouched over her, with her hand on Lagoona’s shoulder, comforting her as best she could.

“What happened?” Frankie asked, rushing over to Lagoona.

“Her ex Gil asked her to dance,” Clawdeen explained, “And when she said no and turned around, she tripped and fell in front of everyone and ripped her dress.”

“Oh my gosh, Lagoona, I’m so sorry,” Frankie said sympathetically. She quickly turned her attention to her silver clutch, rooting around the contents of it. “Here, I have emergency sewing supplies, I’ll fix your dress!”

“You’d do that?” Lagoona sniffed, uncovering her face. It was tear-stained and streaked with mascara; that’d need a touch-up too, but Clawdeen and Draculaura would most certainly have that covered.

“Of course!” Frankie exclaimed, “I keep sewing supplies on hand all the time in case I have a loose stitch, and you’re one of my best friends! I’d be happy to help in any way I can.”

“Thank you, so much,” Lagoona said meekly, extending her leg to expose the tear.

Frankie quickly got to work. After a few years of sewing and tightening her stitches all the time, she’d become quite the expert seamstress. It was upsetting enough for poor Lagoona that her ex-boyfriend would ask her to dance, especially considering their messy breakup only a few months prior. Then, to add insult to injury, she had embarrassed herself in front of half the school and damaged her dress. Frankie felt so bad for her friend, and swore to do anything and everything she could to help her feel better and enjoy the rest of the night.

Fifteen minutes passed. Frankie had been able to fix the dress, to the point that it hardly looked like it had ever had a rip in it at all. Lagoona had managed to stop crying, clean up, and touch up her makeup with Draculaura’s help after Clawdeen had left to get her a cold glass of water.

“I’m so sorry I made such a fuss over this mess,” Lagoona took a sip of water and gazed at the ground, shaking her head.

“Don’t worry about it,” Draculaura said, dismissing her with a wave of her hand, “You had the right to be upset.”

“Yeah,” Frankie agreed, “You had a rough time. But that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy the rest of the night!”

Lagoona offered a weak smile, but her eyes were still laden with sorrow. “I guess...but at this point I kinda just wanna go home, though.”

“Don’t let this ruin your night!” Draculaura quickly exclaimed, “C’mon, we’ll help you make the rest of this night the best ever!”

“Totally!” Frankie agreed.

“Really?” Lagoona’s face lit up, a renewed excitement growing within her.

“For sure,” Clawdeen nodded. “We’re here for you, ghoul.”

~~~

The four ghouls returned to the dance floor. Frankie searched for Jackson for several minutes, but with no luck. That is, until she caught sight of the DJ booth. 

_Holt was back._

Frankie sighed, her body visibly slumping a little as she realized she had missed her chance to have a romantic dance with Jackson, as they had barely started their slow dance when they had been abruptly separated once again. Even worse, Jackson was about to tell her something she was sure was incredibly important when she had run away. She hadn’t gotten the chance to properly apologize to him, or hear what he was about to say, before Holt had to return to the DJ booth.

“Frankie, are you okay?”

Frankie turned around to see Draculaura clasping her hands together, a worried look on her face. She was probably still a little shaken from the Lagoona incident, and now overly attentive to her friends’ needs and emotions.

Frankie forced a small smile. “Yeah, I’m fine, I guess, I just…” she dropped her gaze as she twiddled her fingers. “Jackson and I didn’t get to finish our dance.”

“Aw, I’m sorry Frankie.”

“It’s fine, it’s not your fault,” Frankie assured, “And besides, Lagoona needed me and I’d never abandon my friend when they need me.” The moment Frankie said this, she felt a knot twist in her stomach as she realized that was exactly what she’d done to Jackson.

“Hey ghouls, whatcha talking about?” Lagoona meandered over, now glowing, showing no signs that she was a sobbing mess less than half an hour earlier.

“Nothing much,” Frankie said quickly, perking up. The last thing Lagoona needed to hear was that it was her fault that Frankie didn’t get to dance with her date.

“Ooh, I love this song!” Draculaura said excitedly, quickly switching the subject as the song switched over to a bubblegum-pop tune. She grabbed Frankie’s and Lagoona’s hands and pulled them onto the dance floor. It wasn’t long before the ghouls were laughing and dancing together, forgetting their troubles and personal dramas for three and a half minutes.


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ayyyy it's not a super-embarrassingly-short chapter this time!
> 
> also I kinda overused italicized emphasis in this chapter oops sorry

Frankie would be lying if she said she wasn’t having the time of her un-life. The song selection was great, she was having a blast dancing with her friends, and felt so indescribably happy to twirl across the dance floor in a special dress she probably wouldn’t ever get the chance to wear ever again. She wasn’t even getting tired; as the night wore on, her energy levels only seemed to increase. It almost felt as though a strong electrical current was coursed through the floor.

Though there had been several unforeseen dilemmas, disappointments, and drama in an otherwise perfect night, Frankie couldn’t have been more happy. Her face was beginning to hurt with how much she was smiling. She sang along to her favorite songs with her favorite ghouls, danced like no one was watching, pranced across the dance floor in the perfect dress, made silly faces in the photo booth with her beasties… how could it get any better?

Well, there was just _one_ thing that was missing.

As much as Frankie loved hanging out and having the time of her un-life with the ghouls that meant the world to her, she couldn’t help but feel like something was lacking. Now, she wasn’t the same Frankie that was only a few months old, new to the world of Monster High, and kind of boy-crazy. She understood now that dating and romance weren’t the be-all and end-all of high school, and she was perfectly happy being single.

So then why was not having a romantic dance at her senior prom getting to her so much?

Frankie would have been okay without a single slow-dance at her senior prom, but this year she had a date--a date she had really wanted to share that special dance with. Despite all the fun she was having, there was this nagging thought at the back of her head. She couldn’t quite explain it; she kept thinking of Jackson, and what he had wanted to tell her. For some reason, whenever she thought about him, she felt electricity course through her twice as fast. 

She thought about dancing with him. She thought about being close to him. She thought about _kissing_ him.

Frankie blushed, stumbling over her feet in the middle of dancing with Clawdeen and Draculaura as her mind ran wild. Luckily, her friends didn’t seem to notice her flustered state, as she quickly mumbled something about punch before rushing off to the refreshment table.

_Get yourself together, Frankie,_ she thought to herself, _You and Jackson are friends. JUST friends._

_If we’re friends, then why did he ask you to be his DATE to prom?_

Frankie shook her head in an effort to quell her racing thoughts. Just how long had she felt this way about him? Is _this_ why she had been so strangely nervous around Jackson for the past week? Was she only just now beginning to realize the nature of her feelings towards Jackson?

She thought back to when they had briefly dated a couple of years ago. It had been laid back and wasn’t serious, and had abruptly ended when it was discovered that the reason he had been blowing her off all the time was due to Holt. Now, though, things were different. Frankie had matured since then, and wasn’t as naive as the barely-a-year-old Frankie anymore. Jackson and Holt were working together now, and getting along as well as two total opposites who shared the same body possibly could.

_Maybe we could date, now._

Frankie blushed again. _No,_ she thought, _We’re just friends._

As she steadied herself by leaning on the refreshment table, she spied someone sautering up to her in her peripheral vision. They seemingly came out of nowhere, swiftly and silently.

“Oh, um, hey, Toralei,” Frankie smiled awkwardly as the werecat approached her.

“Hi, Frankie,” Toralei purred, though she spat out Frankie’s name like it was almost painful to do so. “You don’t look so good, is something wrong?”

Frankie was very accustomed to Toralei’s tricks and fake sympathy by now, but still, she stayed cheerful and friendly as she glanced around. “Where’s Meowlody and Purrsephone? They’re usually with you.”

Toralei’s cocky smile wavered. “Oh, they’re dancing with their dates,” She sighed, sidling up to Frankie. “It’s just terrible, being without a date _and_ abandoned by your friends, isn’t it?”

Frankie furrowed her brows as she smiled awkwardly. “Well, actually, I do have a date...”

“Oh really?” Toralei questioned skeptically. “Then where is he? What are you doing _all alone_ at the punch bowl?”

Frankie glanced over towards the crowd. “Well, you see, he couldn’t exactly, er, be himself all night, you know?” 

“Oh, I see,” Toralei said dramatically, “So you were abandoned by your own date, huh?”

Frankie shook her head, a slight smile still adorning the corners of her lips. Toralei could tell it was real, and was envious of her for being able to be so darn happy all the time as she continued forcing her mischievous grin.

“I wasn’t abandoned by anybody. I’ve been hanging out with my friends all night!”

“Hmph.” Toralei folded her arms. “Yeah, but too bad you didn’t even get to dance with him. He must not care very much if he didn’t even bother to slow-dance with you.”

It was her last ditch effort to upset the ever-cheery Frankie, but Toralei immediately regretted saying it. Why was she being so mean? She was usually pretty catty, but at this point she wasn’t even in the mood to ruin anyone’s night anymore, especially seeing as how the night would be winding up soon anyways.

Frankie looked hurt, but brushed it off, as she had come to expect such things to come from Toralei. “Maybe not, but it really wasn’t his fault.” She paused for a few moments. “Oh! But you got to dance with him, didn’t you, Toralei?”

Toralei stared blankly at her and blinked a few times. “I… what? So what, why do you care?”

“I saw you and Jackson,” She admitted. “Didn't you and Jackson go to prom together last year? You two looked… really cute together.”

Toralei felt a strange pang of sympathy for Frankie, who through her genuine smile, looked somewhat sad. “Oh, please.” She tried to brush off the statement, but knew her response fell flat and sounded unconvincing.

Frankie took her hands off the table and stood up straight, turning away from Toralei. “Anyways, I’m gonna go back over to Draculaura and Clawdeen on the dance floor.” She twisted her head around to face the werecat, a sudden joyful smile once again present on her face. “Do you wanna come, too?”

Toralei was surprised by Frankie’s offer. “I-I, um, no,” she stammered, “What makes you think I’d wanna hang out with you and your friends?”

Frankie shrugged. “It was just an offer. You seemed lonely, is all.”

Toralei tried to think of a rebuttal as Frankie turned away, but sighed as she decided against it. What was the use at this point anyway? She was already the most pathetic monster there tonight.

As Frankie began to walk off, a hand shot out and grabbed her arm. She whirled around and was shocked to see it was Toralei who had come to stop her in her tracks.

“What is it?”

Toralei took a deep breath. She knew she was going to regret it, yet knew she would hate herself if she didn’t say something. “He really likes you, you know.”

“Huh?” Frankie looked at the werecat, perplexed, as they faced each other and Toralei released her grip. Toralei found those wide, innocent eyes of hers too intimidating to stare into for too long.

“He likes you. Jackson does. And I mean, _really_ likes you.”

A soft blush crept across Frankie’s cheeks as Toralei gazed at her intently, a rare moment of true, genuine care coming over her suddenly. 

She couldn’t stand Frankie, and yet for some reason, she wanted to see her happy. Toralei was the kind of ghoul who, when upon learning she shared a crush with someone else, would do anything in her power to sabotage the other and have the boy all to herself. She liked getting everything she wanted. However, she’d never had a crush like Jackson before--she wasn’t sure if she’d ever really cared so much about someone before. She was usually so closed-off and played it tough. For once, however, she was just going to throw away any chance of being able to date her crush by being nice to _Frankie_ of all people. Ugh, she was being more than nice-- she was practically setting them up at this point. Why on earth was she doing this?!

“W-what are you talking about? What do you mean he “really” likes me?”

Toralei sighed. Frankie was so oblivious, and Toralei thought of herself as the last ghoul who should be laying it all out for her, yet… 

“He’s crushing on you big-time, Frankie,” She rolled her eyes. “You’re so dense.”

Frankie couldn’t help but break into a bashful smile as her blush grew darker. “Really?”

“Yeah,” Toralei said, a small half-smile appearing on her face. “So don’t blow it, okay?” 

With that, she turned around and walked back towards the refreshment table. She probably destroyed her reputation with her brief moment of kindness towards one of her biggest rivals, and still wondered why exactly she even did it. Strangely enough, however, she felt better about it than she thought she would. Besides, she was only a month away from graduating high school--if her mischievous mean-girl reputation was tarnished this late in the game, she didn’t really care all that much.

Frankie watched her sashay off, and took a deep breath. With a renewed energy, she practically flew back to where her friends were dancing. It was nearing midnight, and prom was winding down to an end before she knew it. She was gonna have a blast and make the night go out with a bang...or, perhaps, with a bolt of lightning.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The end of the story is drawing near...stay tuned!!


	15. Chapter 15

The harsh lights of the main hall flooded the empty dance floor with light. Most of the monsters that had inhabited it less than an hour before were now out with friends, asleep in bed, having a slumber party, or on their way to the after-prom.

Cleo, however, was nothing but business.

She didn't care that it was the middle of the night and the exciting after-prom would be starting soon at the recreation center across town. She had told herself that she would start post-prom cleanup _immediately_ after the prom wrapped up.

Her friends had, of course, been roped into this. 

They didn't mind too much, as it wouldn't take long for the preliminary tidying-up to be finished with all of them working together. However, Cleo could tell that her friends were antsy to carry the fun of the night into the early hours of the morning as they caught their second wind.

“Cleo, where do you want these?” Frankie peeked around the large pile of shimmery garland and streamers draped in her arms.

“Oh, those go in the trash,” Cleo replied, pointing towards a cluster of overflowing garbage cans in the corner of the space. “Might as well take it all out to the dumpster out back, while you're at it.”

Frankie nodded as she headed for the corner of the hall. She tossed the pile of decor on top of one of the already-overfilled cans and took a deep breath as she wondered how she was gonna tackle taking five large trash cans out of the building and to the dumpster behind the school. She would have to take two trips, at least.

Draculaura skipped up behind her. “Cleo told me to come help you!” she declared cheerily, flashing a fanged grin. Her smile seemed strangely mischievous, but Frankie attributed that to the excitement still hanging in the air and the promise of more fun to come.

“Oh, thanks!” Frankie chirped, as Draculaura hauled off two of the bins. It was almost comical seeing the petite (yet surprisingly strong) vampire dragging away two garbage cans almost as big as she was. 

Frankie cast a brief glance in the direction of the DJ booth, which was currently being packed away by Holt, who rhythmically bobbed his head to the song blasting through his headphones. He was oblivious to the world around him…and to her. She knew he had to take care of the DJ equipment, but he hadn’t even bothered to look her way once. She knew this because she had hardly torn her eyes away from him since the last song of the night had played twenty minutes earlier. It was foolish of her to think he’d immediately relinquish himself to Jackson, and that Jackson would then would whisk Frankie away into the moonlight, and--

Toralei’s words rang out in Frankie’s head. _He really likes you. He’s crushing on you big-time._

Frankie shook her head as she grounded herself by clamping her hands onto the rim of the trash can to drag it away. Since when was she gonna believe something _Toralei_ said? Frankie was always the one to give monsters the benefit of the doubt, but Toralei had proven time and time again that with her, that was an unwise decision. Still, the sincerity present in her voice when she had told her this was almost enough to convince Frankie that it was the truth. After all, what would the werecat have had to gain from lying about that, anyway?

Frankie followed Draculaura down the darkened back hallway and out one of the back doors. She was so distracted by her own thoughts that she hadn’t noticed the quick wink and thumbs-up her friend had shot Cleo’s way right before they exited the school building.

They wandered over to where the dumpsters sat adjacent to the tall wall of the school. The night was cool and crisp, as the remnants of a chilly spring still clung to the air. It was nearly as refreshing as an electric shock after dancing in a hot, stuffy, and crowded space for hours.

“What did you think of the dance, Frankie?” Draculaura asked, making light conversation as she dumped one of the trash cans’ contents into the dumpster.

“It was perfect!” Frankie replied happily. “I couldn’t have wished for a better senior prom.”

“Totes!” Draculaura gushed as Frankie emptied her trash cans into the dumpster.

Frankie set the now-empty garbage bins onto the ground and brushed the dirt off her hands. “Well, there’s still one more inside, I better go get--”

“No!” Draculaura shot her hands out, stopping Frankie in her tracks.

“Huh? Why not?” Frankie was taken aback by her beastie’s sudden outburst.

“Because…” Draculaura grappled for an excuse for a few seconds before her face lit up. “Because--because I will!” 

Frankie raised an eyebrow suspiciously. “Um, okay, but--”

Draculaura rushed away before her friend could finish her sentence. “Wait right there, okay, Frankie?” She called out as she disappeared into the school.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know this chapter is short and not much happens, but that's because... THE NEXT CHAPTER IS THE LAST ONE!!!


	16. Chapter 16

Frankie was about to follow after Draculaura once fifteen minutes had passed with no sign of her. After a few moments of deliberation, she headed towards the door leading back into the school, but only took a few steps away from the dumpster when Draculaura burst out into the courtyard.

“Draculaura?” Frankie asked, a touch of concern and curiosity present in her voice. “Is everything okay?”

“Hmm? Oh, ah, yeah!” Draculaura broke into a wide, fanged grin. She was definitely up to something. “Follow me, Frankie! I have something to show you.”

“Something to show me?” Frankie questioned. She noticed that in addition to acting strangely and being gone without a word for a suspiciously long time, Draculaura hadn’t even brought out the other garbage can that she had gone inside for in the first place.

“Where’s the trash can?” Frankie asked, growing more and more confused by the second. 

Draculaura shook her head, her dark locks flipping back and forth. She didn’t seem to care whatsoever about the task at hand. “You're hopeless, Frankie. Just forget about that for now.” She ran over to where Frankie stood and grabbed her by the hand. “Come on, let’s go!”

“Go? But, we have to finish up--” Frankie protested, uncharacteristically close to getting fed up with her friend’s antics. Her resistance was to no avail, as her friend dragged her towards the door. “Cleo said--”

“Just come with me, Frankie!” Draculaura urged as she broke into a jog with Frankie trailing behind. With Draculaura’s grip around her wrist, it wasn’t like she had much of a choice in following her, even though all she really wanted was for her friend to explain what in the world was going on. Actually, she was now more concerned with how Draculaura's tugging was loosening the stitches in her arm. “Trust me, this is important. The garbage can wait.”

Frankie was even more confused than before when they entered the school and all the lights were off. All the harsh overhead fluorescent lighting had been turned on in order to clean up, but now everything was pitch dark.

Draculaura led her back to the main hall where the dance had taken place. As opposed to being flooded with bright light and inhabited by Cleo and her friends skittering around and taking down decor and cleaning up, it too was dark and now resembled what it had looked like during the dance itself. The only illumination came from the multicolored party lights projected onto the walls and floors. The hall appeared much bigger and more barren now, what with the lack of monsters and most of the decorations. Still, it was incredibly strange to Frankie that, over half an hour after the dance had ended, all the lights had been shut off and the dance lighting had been turned back on. As if she wasn’t confused enough, Cleo and the rest of her friends were nowhere to be seen. 

“Draculaura, what’s going on?” Frankie asked as her friend let go of her arm and stepped back, still beaming from ear to ear.

Suddenly, a bright white spotlight flickered on, casting its concentrated beam onto a small spot in the center of the floor, several paces in front of her. Frankie glanced around in complete bewilderment, searching desperately for answers as to what she had just walked into.

As if on cue, a tall, lanky figure crept into spotlight’s shining glow. Frankie recognized his stature, shy smile, and bright blue eyes in an instant.

_“Jackson?!”_

Jackson shrugged bashfully, casting a glance towards the floor. “Look, this wasn’t my idea,” He explained, timid smile still adorning his lips. “It was your friends--I just went along with it.”

Frankie whipped her head around to lock eyes with Draculaura, who grinned mischievously and offered a friendly little wave. “So this is why you were acting so weird?”

Jackson cleared his throat, causing Frankie to turn back to face him again. He slowly extended his arm in her direction. “Will you… will you dance with me?”

Frankie’s heart jumped into her throat as the situation at hand caught up with her, and she tightened her grip around the fabric of her dress. “W-what?”

Jackson’s face flushed a vibrant pink as he ruffled his hair nervously with his other hand. “We didn’t get to slow dance for long during the actual prom, so Clawdeen, Draculaura, and Cleo thought it would be a great idea to set all this up so we could, you know, um, dance together.”

Frankie felt her face grow hotter and hotter as she stared at him like a deer in the headlights. It took all she had to not let her mouth drop open. Her friends set up this special dance… just for her? Just for _them?_

She cast a shocked look back at Draculaura. The vampire sighed and gave her friend a playful shove towards her date. “Go on, Frankie.”

Frankie stumbled forward several feet, finding herself inches from Jackson’s extended hand. She stared at it for a few brief seconds before slowly and hesitantly placing her hand into it. His clammy palm made her pulse pick up its pace even more, as the spotlight gradually dimmed and faded and they were left with the dreamy, romantic colored lights to illuminate their slow dance. They couldn’t see each other in detail, but did notice how each others’ eyes glistened in the lowlight. Not that they were making all that much eye contact, as they both blushed awkwardly and avoided the other's gaze.

Now that the energy and adrenaline of the night had died down, Frankie didn’t feel nearly as carefree and uninhibited. She was acutely aware of the way Jackson slipped his hand around the small of her back and wrapped his fingers around her hand, and just how close his body was to hers. It didn’t make her uncomfortable, but it made her emotions fly all over the place and electricity to pulse through her body like she was a living electrical storm.

Jackson, though very obviously nervous, seemed more sure of himself than Frankie was as he took the lead. Soft classical music filled the hall. It was quiet, calm, and slow- tempoed enough that the fear of it triggering an unwanted intrusion in the form of a certain rambunctious DJ was next to none. Over the past couple of years, Jackson had learned not only to get along better with his other half, but had also found that if the music was slow and quiet enough to put even the most hyperactive monster into a deep sleep, he could handle it for a few minutes, at least. Though not at all suited for dancing or anything other than going to bed, they swayed rhythmically to the sound.

Frankie slipped her arms around his shoulders. She blushed harder every time her eyes lingered on Jackson's for a little too long; the tension between them was palpable from her perspective, but she still didn't know exactly how he felt. For all she knew, he could just be weirded out that she was acting so strangely and shyly. However, if Toralei was to be believed, he just might reciprocate her (admittedly quite strong) feelings. In addition, this whole setup just for them seemed a little _too_ special to be something for just a pair of good friends. 

Something new was on the horizon, she could feel it; and it was exhilarating and terrifying all at once.

“Hey, Jackson,” Frankie whispered hesitantly, “What, er, what was it you wanted to tell me?”

“Huh?” his eyes widened in innocent confusion as he gazed at Frankie from behind his thick-rimmed glasses. 

“When we were dancing earlier tonight,” Frankie explained, tucking a stray piece of hair behind her ear. All this electricity was beginning to wreak havoc on her hairstyle. “Or, at least, were trying to. You were going to tell me something before we got interrupted.”

Realization dawned on him as Frankie felt his body tense up briefly. He ducked his head down and averted his gaze, but even from behind his glasses and bangs, Frankie could tell his face was on fire. 

Seeing him get all flustered was enough to send Frankie's heart racing. Something big was about to happen, she just knew it.

“About that,” Jackson said, his voice quavering slightly. He cleared his throat, but it didn't make much of a difference. “I've...I've been meaning to mention something to you about it for awhile. Tonight just seemed like the perfect time.”

“Awhile?” Frankie pondered, “Like, how long? The past week?”

Jackson shook his head. “N-no, longer than that,” he explained, “It's--it's complicated. Let's just say I don't think I was ready yet.”

Frankie stared up at him, drinking in every word he said, trying to make sense of his vague buildup. He gazed off at the wall, only making the occasional glance her way, but redirected his eyes back to the wall as soon as they made contact with hers.

“Are you ready now?” Frankie asked tentatively after a short pause.

“I think so,” Jackson said, taking a deep breath. He shut his eyes and turned his head back to fully face Frankie once again, his grip around her waist tightening ever so slightly.

“I… I like you, Frankie,” Jackson finally said. “I _really_ like you. Truth be told, I’ve never stopped liking you since we met.”

“You like me?” Frankie questioned hesitantly, “As in, you _like_ me?”

Jackson slowly opened his eyes. “As in, I like you as more than just a friend.” He quickly added, “T-that’s not to say I don’t like you as a friend! You’re one of my best friends, Frankie. And I love that.”

Frankie giggled nervously. “You’re one of my best friends too, Jackson.”

Frankie could see vulnerability in his eyes. He was truly laying it all out before her, right here and now, in the middle of the empty main hall of Monster High, a place they had traversed day after day for the last four years. A place that greeted her every morning as she walked in to start a new day of school. A place she had come to call home, ever since she first entered it at fifteen days old. A place she wouldn't be seeing for much longer, come graduation in a short month's time.

She had no idea what to say.

Her mouth was dry and she felt like sparks were flying both literally and figuratively. Her eyes stayed trained on Jackson’s, a brilliant dusty blue that shimmered in the dim lighting of the empty space. Once too anxious to hold his gaze, she now couldn't tear her eyes away. She had been expecting a confession like this, and yet at the same time, she was wholly shocked and had never thought such a thing would happen to her. Still, she was confident in her feelings about him now, and knew she had to tell him what had been nagging at the back of her mind all night long.

“I…think I really like you too, Jackson.”

Jackson seemed almost skeptical at Frankie’s reciprocation, but by the look in her eyes and the tone of her voice, he could tell she meant it. _She liked him as more than just a friend, too._

Still, he couldn’t help but stare in disbelief. “B-but, I thought you didn’t wanna date me anymore after all that stuff with Holt--”

Frankie rode the wave of adrenaline of the moment as she laughed lightheartedly. “Jackson, that was ages ago! We’ve both changed and grown so much since then.” She blushed, glancing at her feet and wrapping her arms little tighter around him, causing his head to inch closer to hers before quietly adding, “But I guess not so long that we don’t still have feelings for each other, huh?” 

“Yeah,” Jackson agreed, his voice low and practically a whisper.

“I really like you, Jackson,” Frankie repeated, this time so quietly that only she and Jackson, who was mere inches away, could hear her. She looked into his eyes, and tightened her grip around his shoulders even more, pulling him ever so slightly closer.

She wasn’t sure who leaned in first. They were already so near to each other to begin with, but before she could even stop her racing mind to put together a coherent thought, she and Jackson’s faces crept closer and closer to each other’s. She closed her eyes and let her thoughts slip away as Jackson’s lips met hers. 

Frankie had never felt a rush of electricity like this before. It was like an explosion, but fortunately Jackson didn’t seem adversely affected by it as they kissed. It was as though a bolt of lightning had hit her, and its energy was now coursing through her whole body. 

Unbeknownst to Frankie, Jackson actually could feel the electricity they shared in the kiss; it was substantial enough to notice but not enough to hurt him. In fact, it only made the moment that much more exhilarating and magical.

When they finally pulled away from each other after what felt like forever, Frankie couldn’t help but smile. She giggled nervously as she turned away from Jackson for a few seconds. She was certain her face was as pink as a berry.

Jackson lightly touched his lips, which still tingled with the remnants of Frankie’s electricity. “You really are a special ghoul, Frankie.”

She blushed harder as she turned to look at him again. “It’s you who made this night special, Jackson.”

Jackson wrapped his arms around her and she leaned into his body, closing her eyes as she melted into his warm embrace. They swayed gently to the song as it faded out, feeling more comfortable with each other than they'd ever been before. Frankie didn't want Jackson to ever let her go.

“This really has been a night to remember,” she mused quietly, resting her head on Jackson's shoulder. “And I wouldn't trade it for the world.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WHEW!!
> 
> I'm sorry this took so long to finish, but thank you SO MUCH for reading it through to the end!!! This fic was suuuuper cheesy and completely self-indulgent on my part (Frankie×Jackson has been my favorite Monster High OTP for years!!) and it means so much to me that other people enjoyed reading this labor of love as much as I enjoyed writing it and sharing it with you.
> 
> I definitely hope to write some more Monster High fics in the future, though they’ll probably not be as big of a project as this one. It may not seem like much, but this has been my most ambitious fanfic so far. I know it’s not super long or anything, but it did take me quite awhile to write and post each installment, so thank YOU for being here for it!
> 
> ~xoxo moonlitdisaster


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